Oscillating impulsing means for washing machines and the like



March 2, 1943.

A. J. PATCH Filed Aug. 3, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 2, 1943.

A. J. PATCH OSCILLATING IMPULSING MEANS FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 5, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 g: r E 5 2 40 {:9 I cAl/Tah' /6 Q- -01-llifijifflj grw March 2, 1943. A. J. PATCH 2,312,581

OSCILLATING IMPULSING MEANS FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 3, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 2, 1943. A. J. PATCH 2,312,581

OSGILLATING IMPULSING MEANS FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 3, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 2, 1943 OSCILLATING IIVIPULSING MEANS FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Allen J. Patch, Ripon, Wis.

Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,248

4 Claims.

This invention relates to oscillating impulsing means for washing machines and the like, and particularly to mechanism of this character embodied in and used with a washing machine of the impulsing type in which an impeller is oscillated on a vertical axis and the drive is accomplished from below the impeller.

An object of my invention is to provide oscillating impulsing means of this character intended and adapted for transmission and translation of rotary movement, as from an electric motor or other power means, to convert this into oscillatory movement at a driven member, whereby the driven member is oscillated through a swing of substantially more than a half circle and with which a torsionally cushioned drive is accomplished.

Another object is to so construct the parts that this oscillating movement is accomplished through an arrangement of arcuately curved links connected together and actuated to be wound and encircled substantially concentrically around the axis of oscillation and to be unwound therefrom, without crossing this axis of oscillation and that the oscillated part is positively driven and is yet resiliently mounted in manner to permit overdrive through inertia thus increasing the angle of oscillation.

Still another purpose is to so construct and mount and associate the parts that the winding concentrically around the axis and the unwinding will be accomplished smoothly and without sharp or objectionable whipping or shock to the mechanism, with consequent vibration or knock, but on the contrary oscillating movement in each direction and the reversal from one direction of oscillation to the other will be smooth and gradual and the shock of starting and reversal at the end of each oscillation will be resiliently torsionally cushioned.

A still further object is to provide a structure of this character that is of simple and inexpensive construction, and with which the parts can be quickly and conveniently assembled and will be substantially completely housed, to thus avoid the possibility of breakage or damage through outside contact or through operating usage, and with which the vibration and shocks and knocking ordinarily encountered in mechanisms accomplishing an oscillatory movement will be resiliently cushioned and will be reduced to a minimum, thus minimizing the noise-of operation and decreasing the possibility of breakage or disarrangement of the parts due to the forces and strains of use.,

Yet another object and purpose is to provide mechanism of this character including transmission parts that can be made up of stock material and with clutch and other special parts formed as die castings'or the like not requiring special machining or costly forming operations.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide clutch means in the motion transmission or drive connections or train so that movement of the oscillating part can be started and stopped at the will of the operator or user.

With the above and other objects and purposes in view, some of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and others of which are inherent in the construction and use of the parts, my invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the drawings and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a clothes washing machine of the oscillating impulsing type having an embodiment of my invention incorporated therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of fragmentary portions as shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1, and with parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view illustrating an operating linkage structure and a portion of the clutch means.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken horizontally through the oscillating shaft to better disclose portions of the clutch mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a view in partial vertical through parts as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig, 7 is a fragmentary view in elevation to better show the clutch means.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the clutch setting retaining means.

Fig. 9 is a view in perspective showing the clutch collar.

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view on line Ill-l0 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view on line ll-H of Fig. 2.

While washing machines with impulsing means oscillating on a substantially vertical axis have heretofore been used, the oscillatory movement of the impeller is ordinarily accomplished by employment of rack and gear means, or by lever and link means with which means there is necessity section for almost instantaneous stopping and immediate reversal of movement thereby causing undesirretaining closure is provided, thus making it possiable vibration or knocking with accompanying ob- ,iectionable noise and movement of the washing machine; and, it is the primary purpose of my present invention to provide oscillating impulsing means that will operate with smooth and more gradual movement and with torsional cushioning of the parts, to thus minimize or prevent vibration, knocking and noise, and movement of the washing machine.

This mechanism includes linkage means swingably connected together and connected with the parts to beoperated in such manner that rotary driving motion transmitted as reciprocating motion through employment of eccentric driving means is imparted to the linkage in such manner that force is exerted upon a part ofthe linkage structure freely swingable and movable, and also includes a torsionally resilient impeller shaft structure interposed between the linkage structure and the impeller means whereby the starting and stopping of the impeller and the reversal of the oscillating means will be cushioned.

With an oscillating impeller, it has been found that the best circulation of water is accomplished when the agitator has an oscillatory movement greater than 180, and that as the arcof oscillation is increased the emciency is proportionately greater; and, with my present invention the torsionally resilient impeller shaft structure will permit a greater are of oscillatory movement than is accomplished by a rigid drive, due to the fact that the impeller at the close of each oscillatory movement carries through an overdrive movement due to inertia of the impeller and of the water and contents of the washing machine.

In the present adaptation I have illustrated my invention applied and used in connection with a washing machine having a tub I, which is substantially circular when viewed in plan and which is made up essentially of bottom and side walls, which walls preferably merge in a gradual flowing curve to thus present minimum obstruction to movement of the contents of the tub. This tub is mounted and supported in any suitable manner, as on a plurality of legs 2. The tub has a bearing and shaft housing sleeve 3 rising substantially centrally therein, and a torsionally resilient impeller shaft structure generally indicated at 4, and which will be hereinafter more fully described, both as to construction and operation, is oscillatably mounted and is housed within this sleeve 3. The impeller shaft structure is oscillatably mounted, as by means of bearing 5, at the upper end of the bearing sleeve 3, and an impeller-or agitator 6 is oscillatably mounted on bearing I externally carried by the bearing sleeve 3. A clutch portion 8 of the impeller 6 is provided to connect said impeller to the shaft structure 4 whereby oscillation of this shaft will impart corresponding oscillations to the impeller 6.

A cross supporting member 9, or other suitable supporting structure, is provided below the bottom of the tub I and between the legs 2, and an electric motor 10 serving as the power or driving unit, is carried by the supporting member 9. One or more additional cross members H can be provided, and in the present instance I have shown the gear housing l2as supported thereon. This gear housing I 2 has a plurality of openings therein to receive and mount stub shafts serving for gearing to be hereinafter more fully set forth; and, the gear housing or case i2 is preferably bolted upon or otherwise secured to the cross member II in such manner that a grease or oil ble to operate the parts within the casing .or housing while packed or working in grease, oil or other lubricant.

The housing I2 is adapted to contain and encase means for imparting an oscillatable impulsing motion to the agitator I, and in the present instance I have illustrated such means as similar to that disclosed in my Patent No. 1,964,440, dated June 26, 1934; although it will be appreciated that other forms and constructions of oscillating means may be employed. In the present instance, the stub shaft i3 is mounted in one of theopenings in the gear housing l2 substantially beneath the tubular housing and bearing sleeve 3, and is disposed substantially axially in line with the agitator shaft 4.- An oscillatable driven member I4 is mounted on the stub shaft 13 and has at the upper end thereof a toothed sleeve portion I! adapted to serve as part of the clutch mechanism to be hereinafter more fully described. This toothed sleeve I! has at its upper end a bearing l3 adapted to receive the lower end of the shaft structure 4 so that the oscillatable driven member I4 is freely capable of movement independently of the shaft 4, and without accomplishing corresponding movement of this shaft 4.

A stub shaft I! mounted in the gear housing l2 adjacent to shaft 13 has an arcuate rocking link l8 mounted thereon, this link being provided at one end with a bifurcated bearing l9 and having a rocking arm extending at its other end on the opposite side of the stub shaft l 'l, the rocking arm 20 being provided-with a bearing 2|. A bifurcated arm 22 extends radially from oscillatable driven member i4 and is provided at its end with hearing 23. A curved link is connected for pivotal movement atits ends in the bearing portions l9 and 23, as by means of pins 25 and 26. With the parts arranged and connected in the manner set forth, all of the bearings are substantially in the same horizontal plane and are preferably of such length and construction as to give requisite stability and wearing surfaces.

To accomplish a driving connection, a drive gear 21 is mounted on stub shaft 23 mounted in the gear housing l2 and somewhat separated from stub shaft I l, and a drive shaft 29 revolubly mounted in the gear housing has a pinion 33 thereon in mesh with gear 21. A belt pulley 3| is secured on the drive shaft and a belt 32 runs over this pulley and is driven by pulley 33 on the shaft of the motor iii. A stub shaft 34 has a wringer drive gear 35 thereon, and this gear 35 is meshed with and is driven from drive gear 21. An extension shaft 36 is connected with the wringer drive gear 35 and has its upper end disposed to drive a wringer mounted in support 31, in the usual manner.

A pitman rod 33 is connected at one end eccentrically as at 39, with the drive gear 21, and at its other end has a pin bearing extending into the bearing opening 2i of the rocker arm 20.

With this type of oscillating driving means, as the motor III is placed in operation drive pinion 3Il;will be revolved to impart continuous rotation to drive gear 21 to turn said gear continuously arcuate link II, and as link I! is connected by curved link 24 with the outer end of arm 22, member l4 will be rocked around stub shaft II and the parts will be continuously swung backward and forward to accomplish oscillatory movement of the member i4. As the agitator shaft 4 is loosely mounted in the bearing of toothed sleeve l5, this movement of the oscillatable member 44 will not aflect movement of the agitator shaft 4. The wringer shaft 35 will be continuously rotated, but since it is customary to provide wringer control means in connection with a wringer, forward and reverse operation of the wringer can be accomplished and controlled in th usual manner.

l lo impart movement from oscillatable driven member l4 to the agitator 8, it is necessary that means be provided to connect shaft 4 with this oscillatable member l4, and with this in mind a clutch hub 40 is slidably mounted on the shaft structure 4 in proximity to the toothed sleeve 15 of the oscillatable member l4, this clutch hub 40 being provided with toothed or detent portions adapted to intermesh with similar formations forming grooves or splines on the sleeve i5. To give better bearing and mounting for the clutch hub 40, it is preferable that an extension 4| be provided to fit upon the shaft structure 4. With this structure, when the clutch hub 40 is lowered or slid down to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the clutch hub 40 is positively locked to the toothed sleeve l and motion is then directly transmitted from the oscillatable member H to the agitator shaft structure 4.

A clutch shaft lever 42 is pivoted at 43 in suitable bearings 44 mounted on the cross bar or supporting frame structure, so that the forked or bifurcated end 45 there embraces the clutch hub structure at 40, bearing lugs 46 being provided to fit within the groove 41 of the clutch hub. This clutch shifting lever 42 can be swung or moved to the two extreme positions illustrated by the full and dotted lines in Fig. 2, and will thus throw the clutch in or out, as may be de- I permit manual operation and setting of the clutch, I provide a clutch shifting rod 41 which can be conveniently slidably mounted in one of the legs 2 and for more ready manual manipulation this rod 41' is provided with the shifting handle 48 disposed outside of the casing structure 49, which is ordinarily used to enclose the tub or container 1. A fork 50 on clutch shifting lever 42 fits around clutch shifting rod 41, and springs 5| and 52 are provided around the rod 41 on opposite sides of the fork 50 to cushion and stabilize the clutch shifting lever as rod 41 is adjusted. In Fig. 8 I have illustrated an arrangement for holding adjustments of the clutch shifting rod, and here the handle 48 extends through a slot 53 which at its ends is provided with notches 54 and 55 for engagement of rod 41 at each extreme of clutch shifting movement. Obviously, other structure may be employed to operate the clutch shifting lever and to retain the same in clutched or declutched position.

The shaft structure, indicated as a unitary structure at 4, has a stub shaft 56 journalled in the bearing 5 and provided externally on its outer end with clutch portions to fit and engage with the clutch structure 8, as is perhaps best shown in Fig. 11. This stub shaft 55 has a slot-like opening 51 extending substantially axially therethrough and a transmission shaft member 58, in the form of a single or laminated flat resilient leaf or bar member has its end fitted into the opening 51 and held-in place therein by means of a pin 58, or other suitable fastening. The clutch member 40 has a slit-like opening 50 formed substantially axially therethrough and through the hub portion 4|, and the shaft member 58 is received through this opening 60 in sliding fit. The lower end of the shaft member 58 is preferably turned down or reduced, as at 8|, so that it will be capable of free turning fit in the socket bearing l6, and consequently when the clutch member 40 is moved to the raised or unclutched position the sleeve I! can turn or oscillate freely without imparting movement to the shaft structure at 4 and consequently to the agitator 5. As stated, the torsionally resilient connecting shaft portion 58 can be made of a single torsionally flexible member, can be built up of two or more portions laminated together, or can be made in other approved or desired manner.

In the use of my improved mechanism, the motor Ill will constantly drive shaft 28 and consequently the drive gear 21 will be continuously rotated, a direct connection being accomplished to wringer shaft 36 through gear 35. As the drive gear 21 is rotated, pltman rod 38 will be constantly actuated and reciprocated through its eccentric mounting, and the arcuate rocking lever IE will be rocked or swung. This movement of the lever l8 will cause the two links to be alternately wound and unwound around the stub shaft l3 as a center, in consequence of which the bifurcated arm 22 will be swung to oscillate driven member [4 to greater than one hundred eighty degrees of movement, the atcual movement thus obtainable with efficiency being substantially an oscillatory movement of two hundred twenty degrees or better. As links l8 and 24 alternately wind and unwind around the shaft l3 there will be no interference of any part with another part, and consequently oscillatory movement will be imparted to member [4 continuously during operation of the rotating gear or member 21. Through manipulation of the clutch member 40, the torsionally resilient or flexible agitator shaft 4 can be readily connected and disconnected at the will of the operator, and when the clutch is thrown in to connect this shaft 4 the agitator 6 will be given oscillatory movement. Due to the fact that the torsionally resilient or flexible portion 58 0f the shaft 4 will permit flexure or overdrive movement between the clutch member 40 and the stub shaft 56, when the agitator 6 is carried along and approaches the end of oscillatory movement in one direction, the inertia or swirling force of the water and clothes in the tub will exert force to torsionally twist the shaft structure 4 at the end of the oscillatory stroke or movement of the sleeve or member l4, and consequently there will be an overcarrying or overdrive travel of the agitator 5 so that in effect the agitator will have greater than the two hundred twenty degrees of oscillatory movement. At the same time, the torsionally resilient shaft will cushion the shock of braking or impeding or stopping the whirling inertia force of the contents of the tub and will cushion the reversal of movement of the agitator 6. With this structure, the torsionally resilient shaft permits attainment of oscillatory swinging movement of the agitator through a greater angularity than can be accomplished by ordinary mechanical linkage or oscillating means having a fixed degree of oscillatory movement, thus increasing the efficiency of the washing machine,

and at thesame time this torsionally resilient shaft structure will cushion shocks between the oscillating driving means and the impeller or agitator B so that the noise and vibration of use will be reduced to a minimum.

While I have herein shown and described only one form of oscillating driving means and have suggested only certain possible other forms, it will be appreciated that many other changes and variations can be made in the form, arrangement and association of the parts and in the manner of use, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A washing machine comprising supporting structure, a tub having an opening centrally through the bottom thereof, a bearing housing extending upwardly around said opening and provided with external bearings, an agitator oscillatably mounted in said tub and supported by the bearings of said bearing housing, oscillating driving means beneath the tub. and a flat leaf torsionally flexible shaft extending upwardly through said opening and housing connected at its upper end with said agitator and having an endwise movable connection at its lower end with the oscillating driving means whereby said flat leaf shaft is free to extend and contract longitudinally without restraint as the flat leaf torsionally flexes.

2. A washing. machine comprising a supporting structure, a tub carried by said supporting structure having an opening substantially centrally through the bottom thereof, a bearing housing secured within the tub and rising around said opening and provided with external bearing portions, an agitator oscillatably mounted within said tub and supported upon the bearings of the bearing housing, oscillating driving-means beneath the tub and including an oscillating shaft, a clutch part on said oscillating shaft, a flat leaf spring torsionally flexible shaft disposed through said bearing housing having its upper end connected with said agitator and having its lower end journalled and endwise movably mounted with respect to the oscillating shaft and clutch, and a clutch member having a slot-like opening therethrough slidably mounted on said flat shaft above the loosely mounted end thereof and slidable substantially axially on said flat shaft into a lowered position of engagement with the oscillating clutch member and to a raised position of disengagement, the weight of said agitator being borne substantially entirely by the bearings of the bearing sleeve and said torsionally flexible shaft being without axially exerted load and consequently being freely retractable and extensible endwise at its lower end as may be required to compensate for torsional twisting of said shaft.

3. An oscillating agitator washing machine comprising supporting structure, a tub carried by said supporting structure and having an opening through the middle of the bottom thereof, a tubular housing fixed in said tub and upstanding around said opening and provided with external bearings, an agitator oscillatably mounted and supported upon the bearings of said bearing housing, a stub shaft rotatably mounted within the upper end of the tubular housing, oscillating driving means carried by the supporting means beneath the tub and having an oscillating shaft forming part thereof axially aligned with said stub shaft, a connection between said stub shaft and said agitator, clutch and bearing parts at the'upper end of the oscillating shaft, a flat leaf torsionally flexible shaft rigidly connected with said stub shaft at its upper end and having its lower end rotatably and endwise movably mounted within the clutch part, and a clutch member having a slotted opening therethrough fitted slidably on the lower end of the torsionally flexible shaft and movable to positions of engagement with the oscillating clutch part and of disengagement therefrom, the loose connection at the lower end of said torsionally flexible shaft permitting free independent movement of the oscillating parts when the clutch is disconnected and allowing shortening and lengthening endwise movement of the lower end of the shaft as said flat leaf shaft is torsionally flexed.

4. An oscillating agitator washing machine comprising supporting structure, a walled tub carried by said supporting structure and having an opening through the middle of the bottom thereof, a tubular housing secured and upstanding within the tub around said opening and provided with external bearings and having an internal bearing at its upper end, a stub shaft rotatably mounted in the internal bearing, an agitator oscillatably mounted upon and supported entirely by the external bearings of said tubular housing, oscillating driving means carried by the supporting means beneath the bottom of said tub and having an oscillating part substantially vertically axially centered with the stub shaft, a clutch member oscillated by said oscillating part and provided with a bearing within its upper end, a flat torsionally flexible leaf spring shaft connected at its upper end with said stub shaft and having its lower end rotatably and endwise movably received in the bearing of the clutch part, and a clutch member having a slotlike opening therethrough fltted and endwise slidable upon the lower end of the flat leaf shaft and movable into and out of driving connection with the clutch part of the oscillating driving means, said agitator and the weight of the load thereon being entirely supported by the bearing mounting on the tubular housing and said flat leaf shaft being thus freely movable to extend and retract its length as said shaft flexes torsionally when in use.

ALLEN J. PATCH. 

